Rent Smart is a free six-session course designed to help you feel more confident in your rental journey. Learn how to identify your rental mist-haves, navigate the application process, spot potential property issues, communicate effectively with landlords, and understand your rental agreement. Get Rent Smart and gain an edge in a competitive housing search! Workshop […]

While no one wants to think about disasters, odds are you might one day be faced with something unexpected–a flood,wildfire, hurricane, landslide, or tornado–that forces you to either evacuate your home or to stay there for an extended period of time. Being prepared for the unexpected can give you peace of mind. Emergency Kits and […]

In the aftermath of a natural disaster (or disaster of any kind), things can be chaotic. ATMs may not be working, phone lines and Internet might be down and businesses that you need to contact may not be staffed. It’s important to think ahead about how you will keep your money and your personal financial […]

Renters insurance protects you, the renter when your belongings are stolen or damaged due to fire, flooding, or other events listed in the insurance policy. Renters insurance does not cover the structure where you live; this is covered by the landlord’s insurance policy. Renters insurance pays you for losses up to limits of the policy. […]

Have you noticed more hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, and other extreme weather events in many parts of the country in recent years? So have insurance providers. They’ve responded by raising premiums and in some cases stopping coverage all together. How can you protect your home–for many of us our largest asset–in the event of damage or […]

Rent Smart is designed to help those individuals who have little to no rental experience and those who have had difficulty obtaining rental housing. Participants may be first time renters as they graduate from school, homeowners transitioning to renting, individuals with poor rental or credit history, or individuals who have other issues that may cause potential […]

The University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension has created two Rent Smart fact sheets to assist housing applicants, tenants, and landlords understand the housing laws that apply to application fees and evictions. These fact sheets describe scenarios around the return of application fees and the notices required to begin the legal eviction process. Application Fees […]

Five graduate students from the La Follette School of Public Affairs demonstrated that universal child savings accounts could have significant benefits for the state when they conducted the first statewide cost-benefit analysis of the idea last fall. Stephanie Mertens, Ian O’Connor-Giles, Adam Riley, Sam Schneider, and Tyler Williams completed the study on behalf of UW–Madison’s Division of […]

2022 EFC FOUNDATIONS SERIES EFC – Encouraging Financial Conversations is a program designed for case managers, social workers, and other frontline staff to help empower clients achieve their financial goals and manage their money. EFC participants will learn techniques and strategies to help their clients create a financial goals action plan, build and maintain good […]